751_Jehovah is the true God (Jeremiah 10)
Jeremiah 10:6-10 There is none like you, O Lord;
you are great, and your name is great in might.
7 Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?
For this is your due;
for among all the wise ones of the nations
and in all their kingdoms
there is none like you.
8 They are both stupid and foolish;
the instruction of idols is but wood!
9 Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish,
and gold from Uphaz.
They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith;
their clothing is violet and purple;
they are all the work of skilled men.
10 But the Lord is the true God;
he is the living God and the everlasting King.
At his wrath the earth quakes,
and the nations cannot endure his indignation.
A missionary who visited a village where every home had a shrine filled with carved idols. One elderly man proudly showed him his collection of gods, explaining which one brought rain, which one protected the family, and which one ensured a good harvest. As he pointed out each idol, he accidentally brushed against one of them. It fell off and broke. Visibly distressed, the old man hurried to gather up the fragments. The missionary quietly asked, “If your god cannot save himself from falling, how will he save you?” That simple question is the point of Jeremiah 10.
Judah was standing at a spiritual crossroads. The Lord had just declared that His covenant people were now no different from the surrounding nations. Though duly circumcised in the flesh, their hearts were estranged from him. They were rebellious, proud, idolatrous, just like the nations around them. And here the Lord brings their idolatry home to them.
The chapter begins with a warning not to “learn the way of the nations” (Jeremiah 10:2). Ancient people carefully observed the skies, watching for portents and signs that revealed the will of the gods or foretold disasters. Astrology taught them to fear the mysterious cosmic powers that controlled their lives. But here the Lord dismisses their fears. The God who created the heavens is not controlled by them. The stars are not sovereign over our lives; their Creator is.
Jeremiah exposes the foolishness of idolatry with striking imagery. The idol is carved from a dead tree, shaped by a craftsman, decorated richly with silver and gold, and nailed down to prevent its toppling over. It cannot speak or move or do anything, though it is carved in the form of a living being. Yet this manmade object is worshipped by those who made it.
Jeremiah concludes, “Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good” (Jeremiah 10:5, ESV).
Yet Jeremiah does not leave us looking at lifeless idols. Instead, he declares, “There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might” (Jeremiah 10:6). The Lord is contrasted, as the only true God and Lord of the world, with the lifeless gods. There is no need to fear them. But let all fear the Almighty Lord, who can destroy nations in his wrath. The Lord does not owe His existence to human imagination or craftsmanship. He alone is eternal. He alone is sovereign. He alone rules over kings, nations, and history itself.
Jeremiah 10:10 continues: “But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.” God is not merely an idea, a philosophy, or a religious tradition. He is the true God. He hears when we pray. He sees our struggles. He speaks through His Word. He acts in history. He disciplines His children in love. He saves all who call upon Him. While idols remain silent, our God speaks, works, saves, and reigns forever.
The Lord is not only the living God but also the Creator of all things. “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens” (Jeremiah 10:12). Every thunderstorm, every rainfall, every sunrise, and every star proclaims His wisdom and power. Humanity’s fatal downfall was that people “worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). Jeremiah calls us back to the God who made heaven and earth and who alone deserves our worship.
Sadly, Judah refused to listen, and Jeremiah proclaimed her coming exile. The people would soon gather their belongings and be removed from the land God had graciously given them. The pain described in verses 19 and 20 reflects the heartbreak of a nation facing the consequences of its own rebellion. This suffering was the bitter fruit of years of idolatry rather than being sent by the living Lord. Idolatry always promises freedom but ends in bondage. It promises security but leaves us vulnerable. It promises satisfaction but ultimately disappoints.
And so Jeremiah teaches us how to pray. He humbly confesses, “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). Left to ourselves, we cannot wisely govern our own lives. We need God’s direction every day. Jeremiah asks God to correct His people with justice and not in his overwhelming anger, acknowledging that even divine discipline is an expression of God’s mercy.
Few people today bow before wooden statues covered with silver and gold. Yet anything that captures the supreme affection, trust, or devotion of our hearts is an idol. Success, financial security, relationships, comfort, possessions, power, technology, even ministry itself can take the place that belongs to God alone. These things may be good gifts from God, but they become dangerous when they become ultimate things. An idol often begins as a legitimate pursuit that slowly escapes the lordship of Christ.
This is why Jeremiah’s message remains so relevant. God deserves the only place in our lives. Every substitute eventually disappoints because everything created is temporary. Careers end. Wealth fades. Health declines. Human praise quickly disappears. Even the people we love cannot carry the weight of being our ultimate hope. Only the living God remains unchanged.
Paul writes, “For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living” (Romans 14:9). Christ did not merely come to improve our lives; He came to reign over them. Every idol must yield to His rightful Lordship. When Christ is enthroned as Lord in our hearts, every other blessing finds its proper place. We enjoy God’s gifts but we rejoice only in the Giver.
Let us prayerfully examine our hearts. What occupies our thoughts? Where do we run when fear overwhelms us? What gives us identity and security? For this is the dark shape that truly sits upon the throne of our lives.
Jeremiah 10 calls us, not simply to abandon false gods, but to behold the beauty and greatness of the true and living God. For no idol has ever been able to save. When we recognize this truth, we turn to the God who is Love and Life everlasting. The One who created the heavens, rules the ages, redeemed us through His Son, and faithfully shepherds His people is worthy of our complete trust. He is the Portion and treasure of his people, their eternal reward. Let us despise every other rival to our hearts to confess: “The LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.” God bless.
Reflection Questions
What things in your life are most likely to compete with God for your trust, affection, or sense of security, and why do they hold such influence over your heart?
How does Jeremiah’s description of the living God challenge the ways you sometimes look to people, possessions, or achievements for guidance and satisfaction?
What practical steps can you take this week to place every area of your life more fully under the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, You are the true and living God. Forgive me for the times I have given your place to idols. Search my heart and expose every false thing that I trust or love. I do give up every ambition, possession, relationship, and desire to you, for you are trustworthy and you love me. I recognize that my security, guidance, and joy are only in You alone. I put my trust in you. In Lord Jesus’ name, Amen.
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